1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates, in general, to sleep deprivation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Human beings require a certain minimum amount and/or regularity of sleep to function effectively. Exactly how much sleep an individual needs, and how regularly such sleep should be taken, varies from person to person. However, each individual does tend to have certain minimal sleep requirements, and it is well known in the art that if an individual is deprived of his minimal sleep requirements, at some point the individual will suffer measurable degradation in either or both his mental and physical functioning.
An individual's mental and/or physical degradation that results from sleep deprivation can be severe. For example, recent studies have shown that significantly sleep deprived individuals exhibit the same amount of impairment as legally intoxicated individuals.
Many professions require that individuals go without sleep for extended periods of time and/or engage in highly erratic sleep patterns. For example, long-haul truck drivers and oilfield workers routinely perform their jobs for periods of 18, 24, 36, or 48 hours. As another example, factory workers are often routinely rotated between day shift and night shift, which interrupts such workers' ordinary and normal sleep patterns. As yet another example, military pilots are often called upon to both fly for extended periods without sleep and engage in sleep at very erratic intervals, especially during wartime operations. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many other examples are possible.
All of the foregoing examples result in sleep deprivation of some type (e.g., either by a deprivation of the amount or required rhythm of sleep). Furthermore, in all of the foregoing examples, the potential consequences associated with sleep deprivation impairment can prove disastrous in terms of truck or automobile accidents, on the job injuries, aircraft accidents, and/or “friendly fire” incidents. This is especially true in light of the relatively recent findings that physical and/or mental impairments resulting from sleep deprivation can prove as bad or worse than significant alcohol induced intoxication.
In light of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists for processes and systems which provide for the detection of physical and/or mental impairment arising from sleep deprivation.